Matcha Latte with Coconut Milk

After you try this matcha latte made with coconut milk, you won’t need to go back to dairy. I haven’t had a regular matcha latte since I discovered this unlikely combination. For some reason, matcha and coconut milk just go together. You gotta try it!

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Matcha Latte with Coconut Milk? That’s weird. 

These last few weeks being in quarantine, I’ve been experimenting with new ingredients that boost our immune system. 

Somehow, the two ideas of healthy matcha and recipes to boost your immune system merged together in my subconscious mind. 

That’s how this new recipe for healthy matcha latte came into fruition.

I had my doubts…  

When it came to matcha, I used to be a purist.

In other words, I was snobbish and stubborn.

Matcha coconut latte was on the menu at The Matcha Tokyo, but I never considered ordering it. 

To be honest, I thought what a waste of high quality matcha!

And boy, was I wrong.

Matcha and coconut– who would have guessed that this marriage of flavors was meant to be? 

Healthy Matcha Latte – Keto, Vegan, and No Added Sugar 

Once I tried my first matcha coconut latte at home, I was hooked.

Oh my god! This drink was pure indulgence. 

With no sugar added whatsoever, it’s hard to believe that this “liquid dessert” is so incredibly good for you.

Imagine if you could drink a matcha, coconutty cheesecake– Mmm. It’s like that. 

Think guilt-free milkshake.

You’d think, there’s no way on Earth this is good for you.

The natural sweetness of matcha, paired with the sweetness and creamy, healthy fats in coconut milk, make drinking this oh-so satisfying.

Whether you’re vegan, on a keto diet, or none-of-the-above,

you’ve got to try it.

Trust me.

Where to Buy Matcha Green Tea 

The only thing is, you first have to get your hands on some decent matcha. 

If you spend $30 on high-grade organic matcha, of course it will taste amazing.

But it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune.

You just have to know which matcha to buy.

To make this matcha latte recipe, I recommend you use decent quality matcha that isn’t bitter.

If you search for matcha on Amazon Japan, there are a lot of choices. Though, my guess is that the majority of the matcha available online isn’t very good quality.

I’ve tried the organic matcha that’s currently “Amazon’s Choice”– it’s pretty bitter.

I would recommend getting better quality, better tasting matcha.

This time I don’t think I’m being snobby, just honest.

Good Quality Matcha from Japan 

Nagata-san, the owner of The Matcha Tokyo, told me that it’s very difficult to make good tasting matcha that’s sweet.

He’s found only two regions in Japan, Kagoshima and Kyoto, that produce good quality, organic matcha that isn’t bitter.

Green tea from Shizuoka is top quality, but their matcha isn’t as sweet.

These are my two current recommendations for organic matcha*:

The Matcha Tokyo Organic Matcha (best quality) and other organic matcha products are only available from The Matcha Tokyo Online Store.

Suisouen Organic Matcha can be purchased at www.suisouen.co.jp/ (Japanese only) 

*Because of new rules, they can accept orders of 5 packages. 

The people working at both of these companies are very nice and helpful. They have English-speakers on staff. 

Suisouen matcha is now also available on Rakuten.(English and Japanese)

Rakuten prices are slightly more expensive than ordering directly.

*When you’re drinking matcha, you’re consuming the whole leaf. This is the reason I always choose organic matcha. 

Is drinking coconut milk good for you?

Yes! 

I’ve known about the health benefits of coconut oil and MCT for a couple of years now.

If you’re interested, you can learn more about the health benefits of coconut milk here.

Which coconut milk should I buy?

Most of the time, I use Cocomi brand organic coconut milk.

On the can, it says the coconuts are handpicked in Sri Lanka.

There are no additives, no added sugar, and the can linings are BPA-free. 

That’s what I look for on the label when I’m choosing coconut milk.

When the supermarket was out of Cocomi (mostly my fault), I tried the more expensive, French organic brand, Riz L’Asie, which was even creamier, naturally sweet, and wonderful.

Note: this brand does contain guar gum.

A quick note about guar gum: This is the general rule I follow. If I don’t know what it is or how to pronounce it, I try not to eat it!

Buying coconut milk online

On Amazon, these are the two brands of coconut milk that I found:

Coconut milk (no guar gum)

Coconut milk with about 17%- 20%  fat is about right. Shake the can first unless you want to scoop the cream off of the top make yours extra creamy.

Coconut cream (no guar gum)

I haven’t tried coconut cream with 30% coconut fat. From my experience, my guess is that a higher percentage of fat will make your matcha latte even more satisfying.* Saying this, there’s always too much of a good thing!

TIP: I recommend starting with coconut milk with 17% fat. Your latte art won’t be as amazing, but too much cream could make it too heavy. It would be like drinking full-fat whipping cream. 

Coconut milk saturated fat

*The fat in coconut is really healthy!

Learn more about the health benefits of coconut milk from Dr. Axe here.

Also check out Dr. Mark Hyman’s website to learn more about healthy fats. I would also recommend the book Eat Fat, Get Thin by Dr. Hyman.

Are matcha lattes good for you? 

This recipe for coconut matcha lattes, yes!

Matcha lattes, like the ones you would get at Starbucks, no.

I wouldn’t consider those healthy.

I’d consider regular matcha lattes, made with milk, a treat to have once in awhile.

If you want to drink matcha because it’s healthy, I’d recommend that you drink it straight, not with milk.

You can learn more about how to make matcha here.

If you’re looking for a healthy matcha treat, then you found the right place.

Are matcha lattes good for weight loss? 

No!

If your goal is to lose weight, I wouldn’t recommend drinking normal matcha lattes made with milk.

As Dr. Mark Hyman often says, Milk is “nature’s perfect food… but only if you are a calf!” 

According to Dr. Hyman, in a study by Dr. David Ludwig and Dr. Walter Willett from Harvard, they found that consumption of dairy leads to weight gain, increased cancer risk, and increased fracture risk. 

They also found that dairy may cause other problems like constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, gas, diarrhea, allergies, eczema, and acne.

Are matcha coconut lattes good for weight loss? 

Yes!

According to Dr. Axe’s blog,” as a food high in MCTs, coconut milk can be a very filling, fat-burning food.” 

Coconut milk “provides the feeling of being full and satisfied. This can help prevent overeating, snacking, food cravings and potentially weight gain.” 

An article on Dr. Axe’s blog points out that several studies have found that matcha tea benefits your waistline and could help promote and sustain long-lasting weight loss. 

Just please consult an expert before you change your diet. 

I’m a food blogger, not a doctor.

Can I drink matcha lattes every day? 

I don’t recommend drinking matcha lattes every day, even my healthy matcha lattes made with coconut milk.

It’s more of a luxurious treat, not something you would drink every day.

I like to make one once in awhile when I want to reward myself.

If you want to add matcha to your daily diet because of the health benefits, I recommend drinking matcha on its own, mixed with green tea, or add it to your green smoothie.

To learn why matcha is so healthy, check out this post.

If you have other questions that I haven’t answered, feel free to ask in the comments below.

No Added Sugar  

I don’t recommend adding sugar to your coconut matcha latte.

High-quality matcha powder and coconut milk are both naturally sweet.

If you make it and want to spit it out, my guess is that the matcha you used is too bitter. 

Or maybe you just don’t like matcha.

It should taste naturally sweet and perfectly satisfying as is. 

You shouldn’t need anything like honey, maple syrup, or Stevia.*

If I make a hōjicha coconut latte on the weekend, I do like to add a little bit of honey.

When I drink this matcha coconut latte, I feel like no ingredient is missing.

*Note: I’ve cut sugar out of my diet for the most part. My palette has adjusted to not liking food that’s too sweet.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1) Can I make vegan matcha lattes with other milk besides coconut milk?

Yes, coconut milk is my favorite to go with matcha. Though, at the matcha shop I go to, they use oat milk and almond milk as well. I'd encourage you go for your milk of choice. I'd love to know how it turns out!

2) Do I need to buy any special equipment?

I used an inexpensive bamboo matcha whisk. If you don't own one, I think a spoon would be good enough.

To warm the coconut milk, I used a small saucepan. If you don't own a chawan matcha bowl, a small bowl or cup will work fine.

I didn't use a milk frother / handheld frother either, but you definitely could.

You don't have to use any fancy kitchen equipment. I'd recommend investing in high-quality matcha and higher quality full-fat coconut milk (17% - 20% fat is about right) rather than a $50 dollar bamboo whisk. Even the quality of the water you use will affect the taste of your matcha.

3) How much caffeine is in a coconut matcha latte?

A coconut matcha latte has a comparable amount of caffeine to a cup of coffee.

But not all matcha lattes are equal. It really depends on how much matcha powder you use.

My recipe calls for 1 ¼ teaspoons of matcha. Matcha contains between 18.9 and 44.4 mg of caffeine per gram. (PubMed Central)

So that means that one teaspoon of matcha contains about 56.7 - 133.2 mg of caffeine. An 8 ounce cup of coffee contains about 80 - 100 mg of caffeine. (FDA)

4) Is green tea powder the same as matcha powder?

You may have tried green tea made from a powder at a sushi restaurant. While that powder is made from the same green tea leaves, the process of making matcha powder is different.

5) Can I make iced coconut matcha latte with this recipe?

I haven't tried yet. Though, I imagine it would work fine. My one recommendation would be to let it cool down before you add ice cubes.

If you want a cold drink, a homemade iced matcha latte would be a delicious way to start your day!

6) How do I make a creamy matcha latte?

Using coconut milk will make a cream latte. The higher the fat content, the creamier it will be.

If you want it even creamier, you could try using coconut cream. I recommend using coconut milk though.

Using only coconut cream may be going overboard. It might be like drinking whipped cream.

7) Can I add ice cream to a coconut matcha latte?

Yes, in Japan I've seen it done. If you top it with coconut milk ice cream, it would still be healthy.

Check out this delicious recipe for vegan matcha ice cream. It's so good, and so good for you!

The lesson I learned

Author’s note:

I’ve found that every recipe for my blog teaches me a new lesson.

Every creation is the result of a process of trial and error, a string of successes and flops.

In March, the school where I teach closed after Prime Minister Abe made his announcement all of a sudden.

The Matcha Tokyo became my new “office”.

Then, when the lockdown in Tokyo began, the government asked everyone to stay home.

One week later, the cafe closed for a month following the government’s request.

Now, going to work at my favorite cafe was no longer an option.

As soon as I got into a new routine, something else would be closed. Even my favorite walking path was blocked off “due to coronavirus”. Ugh! 

Of course, I was disappointed. 

Over time, I learned to accept the situation. It was out of my control.

What other choice did I have?

Each time, I was forced to adapt, to change course.

Because my favorite walking path was roped off, I had to find somewhere else to go by myself to get some fresh air.

I decided to go the park and ended up discovering a beautiful herb and flower garden with roses, lavender, and bees.   

If there’s one thing this whole pandemic has taught me, it’s that what happens in life is not all up to me. 

Without the lockdown in Tokyo and my favorite cafe closing, this recipe would not have existed on my blog today. You and hundreds or thousands of other people wouldn’t be reading this.

If The Matcha Tokyo had never closed, their new online shop wouldn’t exist.

Who knows, maybe they’ll become the #1 online retailer of organic matcha in the world!

Without The Matcha Tokyo having to close, maybe you wouldn’t have discovered the unlikely combination of matcha and coconut.

It’s so good!